[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 173 (Tuesday, October 23, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1441-E1443]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CONSTITUENT COMMENTS ON SOBER LIVING HOME PROBLEMS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DANA ROHRABACHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 23, 2018

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I rise again regarding the hearing held 
by the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice on 
September 28, 2018 on the issue of sober living homes. At that hearing, 
I had the privilege of testifying in support of my bill, H.R. 5724, to 
restore local oversight over sober living homes. As part of my 
testimony, I submitted to the Subcommittee letters from many of my 
constituents about problems with sober living homes caused by current 
federal law preventing appropriate local oversight. For the benefit of 
my colleagues and the American people, I include in the Record the 
sixth group of these constituent letters below:

       Good Afternoon, I am a Registered Nurse. I am also in 
     recovery 30 years. I have also worked with the homeless and 
     indigent population. I have family members who suffer from 
     addiction. I believe the sober living houses should be 
     licensed so that they can care for addicts in the appropriate 
     manner. I believe the houses should be regulated in that way: 
     however, as far as zoning, I would have to review your whole 
     bill to make sure it isn't a NIMBY type of plan as is with 
     the homeless population in our county. I will be more focused 
     on the housing issues of our ill population and the homeless 
     crisis in the State of California as being a disservice to 
     the people who are here. Mental health and homelessness 
     should be the priority in this state. Thank you.
                                                Catherine Orlando,
     Huntington Beach, California.
                                  ____

       I understand the possible issues surrounding these sober 
     living homes, however I haven't heard anything about what 
     would replace them if they are moved from residential 
     neighborhoods. Rather than sticking our noses into these 
     ``businesses'', why don't we work on actual crime? It sounds 
     like you are proposing an easy way out method. If these 
     owners are bad, do good old-fashioned police work and arrest 
     them. We have plenty of laws on the books impeding business 
     owners and home owners, how about spending less money on 
     government and more money on drug programs and good police 
     officers.
                                                  James Etheredge,
     Westminster, California.
                                  ____

       We had a sober living home behind our back fence in our 
     single-family home. It was really a nightmare for the houses 
     on both sides of them. They woke up at six 6:30 in the 
     morning and went out in the backyard to smoke cigarettes. 
     They were loud, obnoxious and used tons of foul language. 
     Both families on either side of the home had small children. 
     There were also numerous police calls and constant noise and 
     shouting during the day and at night. After numerous warnings 
     they tried to contain the house and have more control over it 
     but still continued to fail. Even neighbors had arguments 
     with clients who were outside acting up and talking loud 
     using foul language. Eventually the problems became so great 
     that the owner of the property was contacted that it was no 
     longer acceptable to be renting out for Sober Living homes. 
     Shortly after that, the sober living home was disbanded, and 
     the house was put up for sale. It is now being used as a 
     single-family home and the neighbors are all very happy 
     including ourselves. Sober living homes need to be in 
     buildings away from normal residential living. People do not 
     have to put up with that kind of obnoxious noise and action 
     24 hours a day to feel like they're helping people get sober. 
     Put these homes somewhere in an industrial area near an 
     airport or commercial buildings where they cannot disturb the 
     other tenants or neighbors. We owe nothing to these people 
     and they should not be distracting from our lives.
                                                   Donald Haddock,
     Costa Mesa, California.
                                  ____

       I own a 5-unit condo at [REDACTED] in Costa Mesa. We work 
     hard to maintain the

[[Page E1442]]

     units and the grounds around them. We are often out in the 
     front where we care for about 20 trees and grass that borders 
     both [ADDRESS].
       The trees are planted on a four foot high berm, set back 
     from the grass and sidewalk. There are sections of this berm 
     where plants are thick, and people can hide between these 
     plants and the fence that runs around the top of the berm.
       We find trash, liquor bottles, condoms, discarded (stolen) 
     contents of someone's glove box, clothes, etc. scattered in 
     spots on this berm every week. This has gotten worse in the 
     last few years.
       About a year ago, my wife and I went out to the front 
     corner in the early morning and found a lost, dazed and 
     haggard woman in her bathrobe and slippers, asking for help 
     to find her rehab facility. From what I could tell, she was 
     6-8 blocks north and west so must have been walking for some 
     time.
       Another time when my wife went out to water, a homeless man 
     who had spent the night in our berm was startled by her. He 
     spent a few minutes trying to tie a small cart with his 
     belongings to a junk bike that he had concealed for the 
     night. She did not feel safe, so I came out until he peddled 
     away.
       This must stop! Our city has become a cesspool because of 
     these rehab centers.
       I don't care how well they are managed, the people that are 
     collected from around the country and dumped into these 
     centers, are not productive members of our community but 
     predators who see the people of this community and their 
     property as targets for exploiting their toxic lifestyles.
       Please help us put some controls in place. Better yet, an 
     end to it all.
       Thank you.
       Best regards,
                                                       Paul Stary,
     Costa Mesa, California.
                                  ____

       I have spoken directly to the city council about this 
     terrible matter! I even asked if anyone on the council owned 
     one! There are over 350 of these not supervised homes here! A 
     friend was robbed on [ADDRESS] two years ago from one of 
     these homes! Check your records [NAME]! Do something now to 
     rid us of this menace!
                                                   Jan McAllister,
     Costa Mesa, California.
                                  ____

       Dana, I support you in this. I know my neighborhood was so 
     scared that one was going in. We met and signed petitions for 
     it not to go in. It is so frustrating when a law is passed 
     that it does not take into account neighborhoods that are 
     open and have children playing in the yards. The smoke, noise 
     and smell from these places is terrible. The unscrupulous 
     people as well. The entire energy changes in a community to 
     be closed instead of being a place to rest the body after a 
     hard week of earning money to afford a place to offer a 
     peaceful place to raise a family.
       I feel for the residents who go to City Council and have to 
     plead their case to keep them out. I know you feel the same 
     way.
       Keep up the good work.
                                                    Roberta Lewis,
     Costa Mesa, California.
                                  ____

       Huntington Beach Council Member Erik Peterson will be 
     speaking on my behalf in regard to Sober Living Homes in 
     Huntington Beach, CA cc: Congressman Dana Rohrabacher I am 
     really distraught with this legislation that allows greedy 
     landlords to turn residents homes into Drug Detox Homes or as 
     most call them Sober Living Homes with 6 residents living in 
     these homes as drug addicts try to sober up. I would never 
     buy a home that is located next to one of these Sober Living 
     Homes but the legislation that makes it legal to do this Code 
     Enforcement allows this to happen putting our city in harm's 
     way with lots of crime. Attached is Video proving that this 
     drug addict trespassed onto my property and walked into my 
     bedroom at 1:30 am and I showed Huntington Beach Police 
     Department the full video and they said it was most likely a 
     drunk from Main Street. My home is [ADDRESS] next door is 
     [ADDRESS] where this guy came from. Huntington Beach Police 
     Department gave the benefit of doubt to the drug addict 
     protecting their rights over mine saying it was perfectly 
     legal to have 6 residents in one home. The legislation that 
     makes this legal is a crime and Drug Detox Homes should be 
     illegal where residents live. Code Enforcement should protect 
     the citizens' rights first before drug addicts' rights to 
     live anywhere they have a Sober Living Home. It is wrong and 
     creates crime wherever they are located putting kids and 
     senior citizens in harm's way. Driving into my home now is 
     like entering a combat zone because you have no clue who is 
     going to be trespassing on your property while they live next 
     door. Not to mention Code Enforcement allows this to happen 
     when they say safety is our first concern for our citizens 
     then back stab us by allowing Sober Living Homes in our city 
     bringing crime up because these homes are hardly supervised 
     and always have more people entering the homes than what's 
     legally allowed. My security cameras catch all the curfew 
     violators and strange visitors coming and going and we always 
     have noise issues with tons of cigarette smoke polluting our 
     air as they party late into the evening changing our 
     neighborhoods for the worst with no regards to HB Citizens 
     Rights. If Code Enforcement was doing their job they would 
     have never allowed a Sober Living Home at [ADDRESS] because 
     not only am I 70 years old now I am also 100% service-
     connected disabled from the Vietnam War and I rent part of my 
     home out to another disabled Veteran who also is 100% 
     service-connected from his injuries while serving in the 
     Vietnam War. At best, Sober Living Homes are a violation as 
     elder abuse and Huntington Beach Code Enforcement should say 
     this location is wrong because elders and disabled veterans 
     live next door to [ADDRESS]. Code Enforcement should have 
     protected our rights before drug addicts' rights to live next 
     door to my house and destroy my tranquility at [ADDRESS] 
     Huntington Beach California. I am shocked and appalled that 
     this Sober Living Home Legislation is allowed in the State of 
     California and I want it abolished. Being forced to live next 
     to Sober Living Homes is a crime in itself because it only 
     benefits greedy landlords and insurance companies that are on 
     the take while very few are getting sober.
       Thank you for allowing me to tell my experience with this 
     issue of Sober Living Homes and how it has affected my 
     tranquility in my retirement years.
                                                     Robin Rustan,
     Huntington Beach, California.
                                  ____

       I have seen the clientele from these sober living homes in 
     my neighborhood. I've been a registered nurse over 25 years 
     with experience with individuals with substance abuse and 
     mental health issues. The individuals I see often are not 
     sober and often have a primary mental health issue they are 
     trying to self-medicate with. Theft has gone way up since 
     these homes have grown substantially. Theft by breaking into 
     homes and cars. I have been spat on for not giving money and 
     observed IV drug use. These homes seem to accept the money 
     and within 30-60 days these individuals are on the streets 
     with no support committing crime for the drug habit that was 
     not treated appropriately. Oversight is a must, not likely 
     but I would recommend department of public health nurse/
     surveyors.
                                                   Donna Segeberg,
     Huntington Beach, California.
                                  ____

       My son is presently living in a Sober Living House in 
     Huntington Beach, CA. I couldn't be more grateful for this 
     experience. This awful drug infestation is touching way too 
     many of our young men and women and our families! We are very 
     fortunate to have found an excellent Christian Recovery 
     Center and Sober Living House. We need so many more in decent 
     neighborhoods! Please help us help our loved ones recover 
     from this horrible situation and becoming good community 
     citizens!
                                                       Toni Stein,
     Seal Beach, California.
                                  ____

       I am a longtime resident of Huntington Beach, CA. I 
     recently was notified by the neighborhood watch that there is 
     a sober living home on the same street that I reside on as of 
     April 2018. I also found out that the residents have had 
     several run-ins with the local police for criminal activity 
     including public drug usage, trespassing, indecent exposure 
     to children amongst other parole violations. There is an 
     elementary school that is less than 100 yards away from this 
     SLH and my daughter attends that school. She walks to school 
     every week day. I have serious concerns about her safety 
     because she must walk by this house twice a day. The 
     neighbors no longer let their children play on the street 
     because of all the recent police activity. My main concern is 
     the safety of the children, but my other concern is the lack 
     of regulation and supervision at this SLH. Why are they not 
     zoned? Regulated? Licensed? All they need is an LLC. I 
     request that there be some type of regulation and background 
     checks for these SLH owners. They are making huge profits at 
     our children's expense.
                                                     Gina O'Brien,
     Huntington Beach, California.
                                  ____

       I have lived in this beautiful city for 20 years. One of 
     the reasons why I choose to raise my family here is because 
     it was family friendly and safe. Unfortunately, in the last 
     year city of Huntington Beach has erected several if not over 
     100 sober living homes. One such sober living home has opened 
     up on my street. This home has caused many problems, safety, 
     legal altercations on a regular basis. On top of all those 
     issues it is located two houses down from our middle school, 
     that my daughter goes to. Over 100 children walk past or are 
     dropped off in front of this house every single day. I am 
     extremely concerned for these children's safety. And access 
     to drugs. It is beyond believe that the State of California 
     would allow such homes to be near a school. People are not 
     trying to detox or become sober in this home. I believe this 
     house and many other houses are just drug dens. Please crack 
     down on this problem and make sober living homes illegal in 
     family neighborhoods and especially adjacent to a public or 
     private school.
                                                     Gina Walters,
     Huntington Beach, California.
                                  ____

       PLEASE support this bill. Even better, come visit Costa 
     Mesa and see how our amazing town has deteriorated because of 
     these ``treatment'' centers and ridiculous sober living 
     homes.
       Brokering ``human trafficking'' and out of control homeless 
     and crime/real estate agents in bed with these treatment 
     centers and then threatening the public if anyone speaks out.

[[Page E1443]]

       I was born at Hoag Hospital in 1968. I have lived in 
     Newport Beach and Costa Mesa for 50 years. My husband was 
     extremely mentally ill and was an addict. I well understand 
     the situation. The only true help my husband received for his 
     addictions, was from old school 12 step programs. There are 
     wonderful AA groups and housing in Costa Mesa that are run by 
     committees which are rotated every few months. Check out 
     [REDACTED]. They do amazing work and do it quietly by 
     donations, not scamming insurance companies or families.
       This model should be supported, not the business for profit 
     one.
       Again, please support Dana's bill.
                                                    Robyn Hubbard,
     Costa Mesa, California.

                          ____________________